Family Ties
by Zanza Flux
Summary: Henry takes Bendy to meet his sister for the first time. What could possibly go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I based this story on a BatIM 2D Bendy AU by Shinyzango on Tumblr. Check their work out!

 **Disclaimer:** Bendy and the Ink Machine is owned by TheMeatly. I only own my Ocs.

 **Family Ties**

 **Part 1**

It was hard for Henry to keep his eyes on the road with a hyper living cartoon sitting in the passenger's seat. He was being bombarded by questions during the whole trip. He was taking Bendy to meet his sister and her family for the first time. The toon was practically bouncing in his seat. Henry had to admit, the little toon made the ten hour drive bearable.

Henry made sure to tell his little sister about Bendy so that she wouldn't be surprised when they meet. He even planned it so they could spend the weekend with her so she could get to know the little toon better. He got the feeling she didn't completely believe him. He just hoped she wouldn't react too badly and give Bendy a chance.

Within a few minutes Henry was pulling into the driveway of a large farmhouse. He reached in the backseat and pulled out a large duffle bag. He got out of the car and waited for the toon to jump out as well. He noticed that Bendy grew quiet and he kept shooting nervous glances at the house.

"What's the matter buddy?" He could see Bendy wringing his gloved hands together.

"Do you think she'll like me?" Henry gave him a reassuring smile.

"Of course she will. What's not to like?" he chuckled. "Just be yourself and everything will be fine." Bendy smiled and got out of the car.

They began walking towards the front door when it flew open. A woman in a powder blue sun dress was standing in the doorway. Bendy noticed she had the same light brown hair and eyes as Henry. She was maybe a head shorter than his friend and her hair was longer, curling in bouncy ringlets around her face. She had a huge grin on her face.

"It's about time you got here!" She put her hands on her hips. "Don't tell me you were drivin' like a old man all the way here?!" Henry chuckled and continued up the walkway. The woman practically ran down the steps and launched herself at the man. Henry dropped his bag before wrapping his arms around her and spun her around. Her feet were dangling off the ground and they were both laughing.

"I'm glad you're here old man." She smirked and reached up to run her fingers through the patch of white hair on his head.

"Heh, it's good to see you too June-Bug. And I'm not that old!" They both laughed and he hugged her tighter.

Bendy stood back a bit and watched everything unfold. Henry was so happy. He'd seen him smile before but not like this. He was relaxed and even though his sister took pot shots at his age, he didn't seem to mind. He tilted his head when he heard tiny footsteps running towards the doorway.

"Uncle Henry!" Two little girls dashed out of the house and nearly tackled him. He laughed and managed to scoop both girls up into his arms.

"Okay, now I feel old. Look at you two! You're both getting so big!" He hugged them both and the girls giggled. After a few seconds he set them both down on the ground. It was then that both girls noticed Bendy standing in the middle of the walkway. They both looked up at their uncle with a questioning gaze. He gave them a slight nod. They left his side and walked up to the toon.

They studied each other for a moment before the toon held out his hand. "Hi, I'm Bendy!"

"Hi! I'm Sarah, nice to meet you!" The shorter of the two girls reached out and shook his hand. He noticed she had dark brown hair done up in pigtails and brown eyes. If he had to guess, she was the younger of the two. She let go of his hand only for the other girl to shake it.

"Hi, I'm Bethany, but you can call me Beth. I'm her big sister." Beth was just a little taller than him. She had the same light brown hair as Henry done up in a ponytail. He noticed she had olive colored eyes.

Sarah reached out and took his arm. She ran her little fingers across it and looked up at him with wide eyes. "You're real! Really real!" She said with a giggle.

Beth reached out and touched one of his horns. "Are you really a toon like Uncle Henry said?"

"Yup! I'm a living, breathing, honest to gosh toon!" Bendy twirled on the tip of his toes and did a quick little tap dance that made the girls laugh. Soon they were hitting each other with questions.

"Well, that went better than I expected." Henry chuckled. He knew his nieces would take to Bendy immediately. It was his sister he was worried about. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her shaking her head.

"You know, I honestly didn't believe you when you told me about him. I thought you were pullin' my leg." She playfully punched him in the arm. "I guess you're not crazy after all." She smirked. June watched as her daughters laughed at the toon's antics. She wasn't sure if she trusted him just yet, but she promised her brother she'd give him a chance.

Henry and June made their way over to the little group. June got the little toon's attention so she could introduce herself.

"Hello there Bendy, I'm June." She thrusts her thumb in Henry's direction. "I'm his little sister." He held out his gloved hand and June shook it. "Nice to meet you Mrs. June!" He had such a cute smile on his face, it made June laugh.

"Alright, come on in. You're not going to spend the whole weekend standing out here!" The girls grabbed Bendy's hands and practically dragged him into the house. Henry knew how strong Bendy was, but the poor toon was no match for too over enthusiastic girls. He chuckled and followed everyone into the house.

While inside, the girls were showing Bendy the family photos that lined the walls. They even dug out a large photo album. All three sat on the couch and the girls pointed out the funny costumes they wore for Halloween or group photos they took during family vacations.

Henry and June left the kids to their own devices and headed into the kitchen. Henry watched as his sister putted around and pulled out various stuff he assumed she would be cooking for dinner.

"So, where's Jason?" He pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down. He could see a soft smile cross June's face.

"Out of town. You know how it is with truck drivers." She pulled some meat from the frig and some pasta from a cabinet. "He really wanted to be here too. He wanted to see if you lost your mind or not."

"Geez! If I didn't know better, I'd swear you guys had no faith in me." Henry playfully hurt look and it made June laugh.

"Hahaha Sorry bro. It's just that… a living cartoon demon was a little hard to believe." She waved her hand towards the living room. "And yet, there he is! Unbelievable." she chuckled and shook her head. She put a large pot full of water on the stove.

"Believe me, the first time we met, I couldn't believe it either. He's a good guy and he keeps me on my toes." June noticed the smile on her brother's face when he talked about the toon. It was the kind of smile that a proud parent gets when talking about their child.

"The girls have certainly taken a likin' to him." June washed her hands before grabbing a bowl and dumping the ground meat into it. She added an egg, some bread crumbs and various seasonings. She began mixing it all together with her hands.

"Bendy is pretty good with children. The neighborhood kids love him." Henry ran his fingers through his hair. "Some of the adults are beginning to warm up to him." June noticed the slight hesitation in his voice when mentioning the adults. She guessed that some of the people had a problem with a demon, even a cartoon one, playing with their kids. She sighs softly.

"You're not getting too stressed out about all of this?"

Henry shook his head. "Nah. I've had to set a few people straight but things are finally quieting down."

Just then Beth and Sarah ran into the kitchen with Bendy in tow. They asked if they could play in the backyard. June told them they could until dinner was done. The little group ran out the back door.

"Henry can you do me a favor and keep an eye on them?" He got up from the table and headed for the door. "No problem sis."

An hour later, June called everyone into the house. She told the girls and Bendy to wash their hands. When they were done, she handed the little group various plates and glasses and asked them to set the table.

Henry leaned against the doorway and watched as the girls showed Bendy where to place the silverware, plates, bowls, and glasses. The kitchen was full of laughter and it warmed something deep within his chest. The little toon had the biggest smile on his face. He even caught his sister reaching down and ruffling her fingers between his horns once and awhile.

Soon the table was set. A huge bowl full of salad was placed in the middle with a bowl of pasta and other with meatballs floating in spaghetti sauce were set on either side. June waited for everyone to settle down before passing the bowls around the table.

"Mmmm, this all smells really good Mrs. June!" She smiled and thanked him.

"Hey Bendy?" The toon turned to Sarah with a questioning look. The little girl reached out and poked him in the face where his nose should be. His black eyes crossed comically and Sarah laughed.

"Umm, how do you smell without a nose?" The question caught him off guard for just a second before a cheeky grin crossed his face.

"Well, I think I smell pretty darn good if you ask me!" The table was quiet for five seconds before Henry made a small choking sound because his mouth was full of food. It was hard not to spit his food out from laughter.

"Hahaha oh Bendy you didn't just say that!" June and Beth were laughing.

The little toon looked very proud of himself. Sarah was looking around the table a little confused.

"I don't get it. What's so funny?" That question, asked so innocently, caused everyone to suffer another bout of laughter. June waved her hand and told Sarah she would tell her later. The little girl pouted and poked at her food. She wanted to know now! It took the others a few more seconds to get the giggles under control so they could eat.

After everyone had their fill, they just sat at the table. The kids listened as the adults told them stories of when they were young.

"So after my date, my boyfriend decided he wanted more than just a kiss on the cheek." June was sitting back in her seat with her arms crossed over her chest. "He figured that since dad was out of town, he'd get a little fresh with me." The little girls giggles and Bendy was completely into the story.

"He walked me to my door and I leaned in to give him a goodnight kiss on the cheek." She waved her hand. "Well, he wanted more and grabbed me. I told him "No!" and was struggling with him, trying to get him to let go."

"What happened next?" Bendy's eyes were practically shining and it made June laugh.

"Well, the front door flew open and-" she pointed towards Henry. "Big bro here grabs the guy by the shoulders, spins him around, and picked him up by his collar. Henry was so angry, the look he gave the guy almost made him pee his pants! He pushed him down the steps and told him not to come back." The kids turned to look at him with awe in their eyes.

Henry was scratching the back of his head and a light blush dusting his cheeks. "There was no way I was going to let some jerk hurt my little sister. Dad always taught us to look after one another." The girls cheered and Bendy realized that Henry was always pretty tough, even when he was young.

June clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Who's ready for dessert!?" There was a chorus of "Me's!" and laughter from Henry. June got up and grabbed a few small plates from the cabinet. She placed them around a cake dish that held a lemon cake with vanilla icing drizzled on top. She cut a few slices, placed them on the plate, and handed it to everyone at the table. Everyone thanked her then dug into the sweet treat. No one spoke after that. There was the occasional giggle as the girls watched Bendy try to stuff half the cake in his mouth. June shook her head and told him to take his time to enjoy it… and to use a fork!

After everyone was done, June told the kids to grab a board game and play in the living room. They ran out of the kitchen just as Henry offered to help her clear the table of dishes.

Dishes done, the adults join the kids in the living room. Beth had an interesting game of Sorry going with Bendy and Sarah yelling every time someone was able to jump over the other's piece. It was quite amusing and surprising to see how competitive the kids had gotten in such a short amount of time. It was all in good fun though.

Soon it was starting to get late. June told Henry and Bendy that she had a room made up for them. That was until the girls put their two cents in.

"Mom, Bendy can sleep in our room!" Beth declared with Sarah nodding her head vigorously.

June looked a little uncomfortable with that. "Gee girls, I dunno…"

"Pleeease! It'll be just like the sleepovers we have with our friends!" Sarah was hitting her with the big puppy dog eyes. Soon Beth was doing the same thing. The girls played to their mother's weakness when they started to pout, making their bottom lip wobble.

"Umm…" June felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Henry was giving her a warm smile and telling her that it'll be fine. She sighed and caved. The girls cheered, grabbed Bendy by both hands and practically dragged the stunned toon up the stairs.

"I think the girls are growing attached to him." Henry said with a chuckle as he went to pick up his bag.

"Hah, you'll be lucky if they let you take him home by the time this weekend is up!" June had waved for Henry to follow her up the steps. She pointed to the guess room she had set up for him. As they moved down the hall, they decided to peak in on the kids.

Surprisingly the girls were already in their night gowns. They had grabbed every single pillow and laid them on the floor between the girls' beds. Beth had grabbed a large sheet and draped it from one bed to the other to create a makeshift tent. Sarah grabbed a flashlight and a book and crawled into the pillowy shelter. Bendy followed her while Beth ran to turn off the lights. She joined them and they ended up laying on their stomachs. The toon was in the middle of a little girl sandwich and he couldn't be happier. Sarah passed him the picture book while she turned on the flashlight. She directed the beam of light over the pages and pointed out a few things. Soon the girls had their heads resting on each of the toon's shoulders as they listened to him read in hushed tones.

Henry watched all of this go down within fifteen minutes. He was impressed. There was a small flash, a click, and a whirl that came from behind him. He turned to see his sister with a Polaroid camera in hand. The film had slid out of the slot and she was waving it to get it to dry and develop quicker.

"This is definitely going in the family album." Henry laughed and asked if she could take another. She did so happily and handed him the film. He thanked her and headed for the guest room. He told his sister he'd give the little group another twenty minutes before they all passed out. She laughed and agreed wit him. The bid each other goodnight and went to their respective rooms.

 **The Next Morning.**

June walked slowly down the hall. She was rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She needed coffee or she wouldn't be able to function for the rest of the morning. The came up to the girls' room and looked in on them. Arms and legs were thrown all over with each girls' arm draped over the little toon while he was curled up on his side. Honestly, it looked like a cute puppy pile. It made June go back to her room to get her camera. One picture later, she was making her way downstairs.

She put the camera on the counter before filling the coffee pot with water. She added some grounds to the brewer and started it up. Within ten minutes, the delicious smell of coffee filled the air. She grabbed two mugs and waited.

She heard heavy footsteps making their way down the stairs. Henry had walked into the kitchen with one eye open and running his fingers through the white patch of hair on his head. She handed him a mug and he headed straight for the coffee pot. Once their cups were filled with their respective brews, they sat at the kitchen table. After a few sips, they felt awake enough to carry on a conversation that consisted of more than just half hearted grunts and nods.

"So, what do you have planned for today June-Bug?"

"Well, how about we head for the lake today?" A worried look crossed Henry's face. June held up her hand to interrupt anything he might say. "Don't worry. We're not going swimming. I remember what you told me about Bendy and water."

Henry looked genuinely surprised. June laughed and smirked playfully. "Look bro, just because I didn't believe you, doesn't mean I wasn't listening to you." She pointed to the frig. "I was thinking of having a picnic out there. There are swings set up close by and the girls can bring a few things to keep them occupied. It's just too bad you didn't bring a fishing rod with ya."

"Heh yeah. Maybe next time." She punches him playfully in the upper arm. "Hey!"

"There'd better be a 'next time' old man!" She smiled but in a quieter voice, "You've been away too long." He gives her a one arm hug and promises to come back more often.

"Okay bro, time to start breakfast! How does hotcakes, eggs, and bacon sound?" June got up and started pulling out what she needed to make batter.

"Sounds good to me. But let me cook the eggs. You always burn them." She shot him a hot glare that made him laugh. "I do not!" He was already cracking a few eggs in a bowl and adding butter, cheese and a little salt.

"Uh huh, remember when we tried to make mom breakfast for Mother's Day?" June shuddered at the memory. The eggs were a burn mess. The kitchen was full of smoke. Their mom thought there was a fire in the house and nearly called for the fire department. "Okay, okay, that could have gone better."

"And Dad's birthday?" He smirked when she pouted and stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh shut up and make the darn eggs!" They both laughed and got to work.

Soon the kitchen was awash in mouth watering smells. June was piling hotcakes on a large plate while strips of bacon were sizzling in a large pan. Henry was scrambling the eggs in another pan and was reaching for a large bowl to put it in. Butter and syrup were already set up on the table along with a pitcher of orange juice.

"I bet you five bucks the smell alone with send them downstairs." Henry just shook his head. "No way I'm taking that bet. Bendy is a fiend when it comes to bacon. That alone will send him running."

The table was all. All they needed was for the sleepyheads to get their butts up. Henry volunteered to call them down. He made it to the bottom of the steps when he heard the patter of bare feet. "Girls?"

Beth and Sarah came running down the stairs. They were giggling for some reason. They gave Henry a hug before rushing off to the kitchen. _'Huh, that's strange.'_ Soon he heard the tapping of shoes on the hardwood floors. Bendy was coming down the stairs. He was rubbing his eye with the back of his hand and sniffing the air. "Mmm bacon…"

When the toon was able to focus, he noticed Henry standing there. "G'mornin' Henry!" The man didn't say anything for a few seconds and was staring at him funny. "What's the matter?"

"Um Bendy? I think you need to look in the mirror *snickers*." He pointed to the full length mirror that was hanging on the back of the closet near the front door. The little toon did as he asked. He stared into the mirror and froze. He had two big pink bows tied to each of his horns. The ends were long and hanging down past his shoulders.

"Wha- where did these come from!?" He reached up and tugged at one of the bows. It was tied pretty tight. He heard another snicker from Henry.

"Boy, those girls got it honest from their mother." The man walked up to the toon and knelt behind him. He grabbed his shoulders and turned him so he could get a good look at the bows. He just shook his head. "I can't tell you how many times I woke up to my hair in pigtails or braids or anything that fancied my little sister at that time."

Bendy laughed and told Henry he couldn't picture him with pigtails. Henry had a small smile on his face as he tried to undo the knots the bows formed. There was a flash, click and whirl. Both man and toon turned slowly towards the sound and found June standing in the kitchen archway. She had a camera in hand and two giggling girls hiding behind her legs.

"Oh no." Henry groaned and Bendy looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"Now THIS-" she was waving the film in her hand, "is going into the family album." She chuckled. She told them to come and eat while the food was still hot. She promised to help Henry with the bows after they were done.

The girls thought the toon might be angry when he sat at the table. But he wasn't. If anything, he was impressed that they managed to pull off such a simple prank. Plus there was a huge stack of bacon on the table and that always improved his mood.

Breakfast went by with soft giggles and hums of appreciation from everyone at the table. When they were done, June told the kids they were heading to the lake. The girls cheered and ran up the stairs to get dressed. June managed to untie the bows from Bendy's horns before the little toon dashed up the stairs. Both adults just laughed and followed the kids as well.

An hour later, June was preparing sandwiches and other snacks to put in the picnic basket. Henry was filling a cooler with ice and several bottles of pop. The kids were in the living room. They were stuffing jump ropes, balls, and other things in their little backpacks. Soon the group was ready and heading out the back door.

"So, where is the lake?" Bendy asked. He was a little nervous. Water and him didn't mix very well.

"See those of trees over there?" June pointed to a line of trees at the end of their yard. "The lake is a ten minute walk just passed them. And don't worry, no one is swimming today." She smiled and patted him on the head.

Bendy was surprised to find a forest just passed the tree line. The air was full of the sweet smell of wild flowers and maple trees. Every once and awhile the girls would direct his attention to a colorful butterfly flittering by or strange mushrooms that grew on the base of trees. It honestly felt like they were explorers on a grand adventure. A quest to get to a mysterious lake! Their laughter echoed throughout the otherwise quiet forest.

They followed a well worn trail until they came to the lake. The surface of the water was still and it shimmered like glass in the sunlight. There was a picnic table set up a few feet away from the lake's edge. A huge tree with a tire swing stood a little closer to the water. The group placed their various bags, baskets and the cooler on the table before the kids ran for the swing.

The tire was secured to the tree with three thick ropes. The tire itself was huge, big enough to hold three children at once! Beth, Sarah, and Bendy climbed on and begged Henry to give them a push. He told them to hold on as she grabbed the ropes and pulled the whole thing back. He let go then gave them a few good pushes. The little group cheered as they swung higher and higher. Soon they were so high, they could see the clear water under their feet.

June already had her camera out and was taking a few pictures. She was going to make sure Henry took some home with him as well.

As the morning faded into afternoon, the girls got out their ropes and were currently trying to teach Bendy how to jump Double Dutch. They weren't quite sure how he ended up with the ropes tangled up on his feet and sometimes his whole body half the time, but it was funny. Their uncle would just shrug and say it was a toon thing.

They took a break from the toon's unintentional shenanigans to have lunch. Bendy was regaling the girls with stories of his adventures with Boris and Alice on the big screen. Beth and Sarah laughed at the funny gags Bendy set up.

Henry remembered story boarding and animating some of that. Those were good times, back when they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off to meet a rapidly approaching deadline. Back before everything went so wrong. It was a sobering thought that made his smile slip just a bit. He wasn't surprised when June reached out to squeeze his hand.

"You okay?" He could hear the concern in her voice. He told her a little bit of what happened when he returned to the studio, but not everything. Some things were still hard to talk about.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just reminiscin'."

"Uh huh. Old people tend to do that a lot." June laughed when he shot her an incredulous look. "I'm not that old!' She watched as his glare morphed into something softer and he began to laugh as well.

After lunch, Henry took the kids to the edge of the lake where he tried to teach them how to skip stones. It went about as well as he expected with the kids picking stones that were too big or too round. The results was big splashes and a lot of laughs. June joined them, picking up an oval shaped stone, and with the right flick of her wrist sent the stone skipping across the still water three times. The kids were amazed and June told them that Henry taught her how to skip stones when she was about Beth's age.

Afterwards, the kids were trying to catch frogs. The adults sat back and watched with amusement as the slippery suckers just managed to evade tiny hands. Bendy had an easier time of it since he was quicker and his gloved hands were bigger. He held the frog gently as the girls giggle and ran their little fingers over its slick head. They tried to keep it but June would have none of it. Even the power of the puppy dog eyes didn't sway her and they had to let it go.

Things got a little scary when Sarah found a snake. Her screams alerted everyone that something was wrong. She was frozen in fear with a three foot long snake slithered out of the bushes. Henry reached her first. He took one look at the snake and relaxed. He picked Sarah up in his arms and backed away from the snake. The rest of the group came running up to them and asking if she was alright.

"It's alright. The snake was just minding its own business. It turned out to be a harmless King Snake." June sighed in relief. She was rubbing her daughter's back while Henry held her.

"King Snake?" Beth and Bendy looked to the adults for an explanation.

"King Snakes are not venomous and they eat other snakes."

"How could you tell what it was?" Bendy was looking back at the bushes to see if he could spot the snake.

"There is this little rhyme mom and dad made us remember when we were little." June held up two fingers. "Red to black, friend of Jack. Red to yellow, kills a fellow. Most King snakes are red with black bands around their bodies." The group walked over to the picnic table and Henry set Sarah down in the seat. By this time she was calm even if her eyes were a little watery.

Beth pulled out a deck of cards and suggested they all play Go Fish. The adults had no problem with that. After a few rounds they were laughing so much, the incident with the snake was all but forgotten.

Henry was glad that everything was going smoothly but he should have remembered Murphy's Law: If something can go wrong, it will.

 **To Be Concluded.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I based this story on a BatIM 2D Bendy AU by Shinyzango on Tumblr. Check their work out!

 **Disclaimer:** Bendy and the Ink Machine is owned by TheMeatly. I only own my Ocs.

 **Family Ties**

 **Part 2**

It was late in the afternoon and June told everyone it was time to pack up. Ten minutes, the area was clean and the group began walking back to the house with all their bags and baskets in tow.

The kids were playing tag and chasing each other around as the adults walked at their own pace. Beth was 'it' and she was trying to catch Bendy. That was proving to be a challenge because the little toon was so fast. They ran around a few thin trees and Beth thought she almost had him when her foot got caught on something. She tripped and fell onto her stomach. Bendy skidded to a halt and turned when he heard her groan. He ran back to help her up when a loud crack could be heard. The next thing he knew Beth yelled out in surprise as the leaves exploded around her and she disappeared.

Bendy stood there is shock for a few seconds before rushing over to where he last saw Beth. The toon barely missed falling into the hole himself, his arms wind milling to keep him from toppling over. Sarah ran up behind him just as he fell to his knees to peer over the edge. He could see the girl clinging to large roots that are coming out of a crumbling stone wall.

"Beth!" He called out to her and she looked up at him. Her eyes were large and she looked so scared. "It's okay Beth! Just hold on!"

The little toon stood and gently pushed Sarah back so she didn't fall in too. He cupped his hand over his mouth and called out for Henry and June. Within a few seconds both of the adults were running towards him. He was hopping up and down and pointing at the hole in the ground. "It's Beth! She fell in a hole!"

Henry and June dropped everything they were carrying and they both fell to their knees and looked over the edge. They could see Beth pressed against the wall.

"Damn it! It looks like she fell into an abandoned well. The boards must have been rotten and gave way." Henry was glad the girl didn't fall all the way down. No telling how deep it was, but she had fallen far enough that neither he nor June could reach her.

"Baby! Baby, just hold on, we're gonna get you out of there!" June was distraught. Beth was crying and they could see her shaking. It looks like she was going into shock. They had to keep her calm.

Sarah was standing close to Bendy. She was hugging him and sobbing softly. He was rubbing her back and telling her that everything was going to be alright. It hurt him to hear both girls crying. Beth was pleading with her mother. Her voice was shaky and was sounding weaker by the moment. Bendy frowned. He didn't like this at all.

"Henry! I-I don't have anything at the house that'll get her out of here." June was biting her bottom lip. "Run to the house and call for the fire department. They'll be able to get her out." June was looking down in the dry well, her voice full of desperation. "I'll stay and keep her talking."

"Right! I'll be back as soon as I can." Henry leaned over and called out to Beth. "Just hold on Beth, okay?!" He saw her head bob a little. The poor child had a death grip on the roots. It was making her arms shake.

Bendy heard their plan and didn't like it. He knew he made a promise to Henry that he wouldn't do anything to scare Henry's family, but this was an emergency and some promises were made to be broken. He let go of Sarah, telling her he was going to help Beth. The little girl looked up at him with hope in her eyes. He gave her a nod before running towards Henry.

The man stood up and ran for the house. He didn't get too far because something grabbed his hand. It was Bendy. "Bendy?! Look, I need to get to the house! I have to call for help!" The toon just shook his head. He had a determined look in his eyes.

"Henry, I can help her. I can get her out of that hole!" He had both hands balled into tight fists at his sides. Henry was confused for a moment before realization dawned on him.

"No, no way bud. Let me call for help. Everything will be fine…" Henry could tell by the look on his face that Bendy had already made up his mind.

"There is no time for that! Not when I can do it now. I know I made a promise…but listen to her. She's so scared. Let me do this, please!" The toon was practically pleading with him. Beth's cried of fear and panic was heart wrenching. Henry knew if he ran for the house, Bendy would do it anyway. If he was going to do this, better he stay to calm his sister and the girls down after everything was done. Henry let out a frustrated sigh and gave Bendy a sharp nod. He turned and ran back to his sister's side but not before hearing the tell tale sounds of Bendy changing.

Henry reached his sister and Sarah. He put his hands on June's shoulders and was pulling her away from the edge of the dry well.

"Henry?! What are you doing? I can't leave her!" June began to struggle with him. He was apologizing and holding her tightly. She was yelling at him when a huge shadow fell over them both.

June gasped and pressed herself against Henry. There was a huge, black creature towering behind them. It had thick, crooked horns on it's head, one visible eye and a strange grimace on it's face. It had long, thick arms with massive hands and long legs. It was looking down at her with an expression she couldn't read.

"H-Henry, what is that thing!?" She noticed how it seemed to flinch when she called it a "thing".

"It's not a thing. It's Bendy! He's going to help Beth. Go get her bud!" He nodded his massive head and walked passed the two adults.

Sarah was rubbing tears from her eyes when she noticed the huge figure looking down in the hole. She blinked and tilted her head to the side "Bendy?" He turned his head in her direction and gave her a big grin. It was him! She ran up to stand next to him and peered carefully into the hole.

Bendy leaned over and reached down into the dry well. As soon as his large fingers brushed against Beth's back, she screamed and pressed herself against the stone wall even more. Bendy whined softly. He didn't mean to scare her. Sarah seemed to understand and she called out to her sister.

"Beth, don't be scared! It's Bendy! He's going to get you out!"

Beth was shaken but she managed to turn her head slightly to see the large hand behind her. She looked up to see a familiar smiling face. "B-Bendy?" He nodded and grunted. She turned back to his massive hand and gulped softly, her throat felt dry all of a sudden. She held onto the root with one hand and reached out with the other. She grabbed onto his massive thumb. She could feel his fingers curl around her and she completely let go of the wall. She fell into his waiting hand and he lifted her out of the well.

Bendy leaned back and pulled his hand up until Beth was at eye level with him. She was sobbing and her body shook. He murmured softly to get her attention. She looked up at him with wide eyes and tear streaks down her cheeks.

"Bendy? Is it really you?" He nodded as his grin grew wider.

"Bethany!" Bendy flinched and looked over to see June running towards them. He turned his whole body to face her and he slowly lowered his hand. June rushed to look her daughter over before lifting her out of Bendy's massive hand. She backed up a few steps, never taking her eyes off of him.

"Thank you, Bendy." June said sharply. His smile slipped at the look she was giving him. She looked scared and suspicious. His shoulders sagged and he loose gurgling sigh. He knew this might happen but it still hurt.

"Sarah, come here." The little girl jumped at her mother's stern tone. She looked up at Bendy and noticed how upset he seemed. Was he in trouble? Why? He saved Beth! It didn't make sense to her.

"But mama-"

"No "Buts"! Come here NOW! We need to get Beth to the house." June held out her hand. Sarah brushed her tiny fingers against Bendy's leg as she walked by. She took her mother's hand the woman practically dragged her along.

As June got closer to Henry, he tried to talk to her, but she cut him off. "We will talk about this later." She hissed and marched passed him.

Henry sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He knew he didn't tell her everything about Bendy but he honestly didn't think this would come up. He should have known better. He heard the leaves shifting behind him. When he turned to look, he saw Bendy had returned back to cartoon-ish self. His smile was gone and he was looking down at the ground.

Henry walked up to him and knelt down. He put his hands on the little toon's shoulders. "Hey buddy, you okay?" Bendy shook his head and refused to look at him.

"Henry? Do-do you think I did the right thing?" Henry squeezed his shoulders.

"Of course you did! Beth is safe because of you."

"Did you see the look Mrs. June gave me?" He was wringing his gloved hands together. "She was scared. She looked at me like I was going to hurt Beth and Sarah. I would never do that! I would never do that…" His voice trailed off and Henry could see the ink on his head running down the side of his face.

"Listen bud, I'm going to talk to her. I'll explain it to her." He sighed and shook his head. "My sister doesn't like surprises and we kinda dropped a doozy on her." Bendy reached up and wiped the stray ink away from his face.

"C'mon bud, lets head to the house. We need to check on Beth. I know she'll be happy to see you." Henry gathered up everything that was dropped. The toon just sighed and followed Henry to the house. He wasn't looking forward to facing Mrs. June again, but he was more worried about Beth and Sarah.

A few moment later, Bendy was standing in the corner of the living room. He was watching Beth get bandage up. She had a few cuts on her hands and knees from being scraped against the stone wall. He decided to gives June some space while she worked. She hadn't said a word to him or Henry since they got back to the house. As soon as she was done, she packed up the first aid kit and headed for the kitchen. Bendy took this opportunity to check on the girls.

Beth and Sarah were sitting on he couch. They were speaking in hushed tones and poking at a few of Beth's bandages. She noticed Bendy heading their was and her eyes lit up. "Bendy!"

"Are you okay?" Beth nodded her head vigorously. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just cut my knees on that wall. The branch I was holdin' onto cut my hand a little bit." She scooted over enough to create a space between her and Sarah. She patted the couch with her small hand and Bendy took that as an invitation to hop up onto the couch. As soon as he did, little arms were wrapped around him from both sides. He stiffened for just a moment before relaxing and wrapping his arms around both girls. He was glad they weren't scared of him.

"Thank you Bendy." Beth said softly and it warmed the little toon's heart.

Henry watched this all go down with a soft smile on his face. He was glad the girls didn't see his friend any different. He knew Bendy was worried about that. He turned towards the kitchen and could see June watching the little group. She had an unreadable look on her face. He really needed to talk to her before something happened. He walked into the kitchen and asked her to step outside in the back with him. She was going to argue but he told her that they wont be long. She shot him a heated glare before stomping out the back door.

Henry found her sitting at the picnic table. She was rubbing her temples and looking stressed out. Henry sat down next to her and placed his hand against her back. She was quiet for awhile but Henry had no problem waiting for her to talk to him. The silence was broken by her first question.

"Look! The only thing I wanna know is: Is he dangerous?" Henry looks offended by the question.

"C'mon June! You know I'd never do anything to harm you or the girls. No, Bendy isn't dangerous." Henry should have known she'd asked this but it still frustrated him.

June was staring down at her hands in her lap. "I know. I know you wouldn't." She groans and runs her hand down her face. "But what happened back there?!" She looked at him, showing the anger in her eyes. She pointed at him. "Don't tell me it's a cartoon thing because it's not!"

"June…" Henry ran his hand through his hair, looking very tired all of a sudden. "Do you remember when I told you how Bendy helped me get through the Studio?" She looked a little confused but nodded.

"He literally helped me. He saved me life using that form… and others. I would have never made it out of that place if he wasn't watching my back."

She didn't say anything but he could tell she wasn't completely convinced. Henry proceeded to tell her about the first time Bendy changed. That's when he figured out that he was still the same lovable toon on the inside, no matter what he looked like on the outside. He told her about the first time the toon lost control and was guilt ridden after he snapped out of it. They learned to be more careful after that.

June was just shaking her head, a look of disbelief written all over her face. She couldn't believe her brother still trusted the toon after all of that.

Henry told her about how he managed to help Bendy not only escape the Studio but the 2D realm he was stuck in. He told her about the first time they both realized that he could still change forms when a child fell out of a tree. The toon didn't hesitate to try to catch the child and just like that, he caught him in his massive hands.

"Turns out, the kids weren't even afraid of him. You know, just like Beth and Sarah." He shot her a pointed glare and she had the decency to look guilty.

Henry put his hand on her shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this before." He looked her in the eye. "I trust Bendy with my life. He wouldn't hurt anyone."

June just stared at him, not saying a word. Then she tilted her head to the side and the suspicious look returned.

"Henry, what's this really about?" he looked genuinely shocked by her question.

"What are you getting' on about?"

June shook her head slowly. "This trip is more than just a "Meet and Greet". What's going on?"

"I just wanted you to meet Ben-" She held her hand up, effectively cutting him off.

"C'mon bro! Don't try that with me! I know you better than anyone. Ever since you got here, I've had this feeling you weren't telling me everything."

Henry sighed and ran his hand down his face. She was always good at reading him. He looked at her and she was quietly studying him. It was best to get everything out of the open now. He was really starting to feel his age now.

"June, if there is one thing I learned during my time in the service and running for my life in that damn Studio is this: Life is short. You never know what might happen." She narrowed her eyes at him and was about to say something but he cut her off.

"You're right. I had another reason for coming here." he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He had rehearsed this in his head a thousand times but now he had the hard time finding the right words.

"June. If anything happens to me… I need you to look after Bendy." The look of shock on her face would have been funny if the situation wasn't so serious.

"Wait! What are you talking about? Nothing is going to happen to you!" She was trying not to shout, but this conversation was scaring her.

"Sis, life is full of surprises. I know you don't like hearing that, but it's true. I'd feel better knowing that if I couldn't be there for Bendy, someone I trusted would look after him." Henry looked down at the table and winced. "I couldn't stand the thought of him being left alone."

June was struck speechless. She couldn't believe what her brother was asking of her. If he had asked her earlier, she wouldn't have hesitated, but now, she just wasn't sure she could do what he asked.

He must have felt her apprehension because he reached out and grasped one of her hands. He noticed it shook slightly. "You don't have to make up you mind tonight, okay?" She gave him a stiff nod before getting up from the table and heading for the back door. She told him she needed to get dinner ready.

She reached out for the doorknob and stopped. She said in a soft voice "I'll think about it."

"That's all I'm askin' June-Bug."

Dinner was quiet and a little awkward. Tension filled the air and even the girls could sense it. They kept looking at their mother who looked lost in thought. She was barely eating as she just pushed the food around on her plate. She didn't even look at Bendy and the toon wondered if that was a good thing or not. He looked at Henry and the man was staring at his sister with sympathetic eyes. Whatever they talked about must not have gone well. It made a pit form in the little toon's stomach.

After dinner the girls didn't even wait for dessert. They grabbed Bendy by the hand and headed up to their room. They needed to get away from whatever had the adults in a foul mood.

June cleaned up the kitchen. Her face was disturbingly blank as she moved about automatically. After she was done, she plopped down on the couch and put her head in her hands. Her mind was running in circles and she didn't know what to do. She felt a light tap at her shoulder and when she looked up, she found her brother standing there with a two beers, one in each hand. He gave her one and she took it gratefully. He sat down next to her and they spent the rest of the evening sipping on their beer in companionable silence.

When she was done, she got up, and threw the bottle in the trash. She felt really tired after everything that happened today and headed upstairs. As she made her way down the hall, she stopped at the doorway that lead to the girls' room. She smiled softly. It looked like she wasn't the only one worn out by today's events.

Bendy was laying in their makeshift tent with each girl on either side of him. What surprised her was the way he had his arms protectively around the girls as they snuggled up against his sides. They really weren't afraid of him. She turned her head slightly when she heard Henry coming up the stairs. Their eyes met for a split second before she bid him a goodnight and headed for her room.

 **The Last Day**

Henry wasn't surprised that he was standing in the kitchen alone. He had wondered if his sister got any rest last like. He put on a pot of coffee and waited for anyone else to come downstairs.

The kids came into the kitchen a few moments later and sat at the table. Henry asked them what they wanted for breakfast and they told him just cereal. He noticed how quiet they all were but didn't say anything.

Soon June wandered in and said good morning to everyone. She still looked tired as she made herself a strong cup of coffee. She took her cup and went to sit in the living room.

Bendy watched her as she shuffled towards the couch. He was really worried about her. He got up from the table and followed her to the couch. She was sitting there, sipping on her coffee and staring into space. He cleared his throat to get her attention. She looked like she hadn't slept all night.

"Umm, Mrs. June, are you alright?" She didn't answer and just stared at him. Her stare was making him nervous. Suddenly she shook her head and Bendy could feel that pit in his stomach growing larger.

"Don't call me that." The toon looked up at her with confusion written all over his face. She scowled and shook her head again. "Don't call me "Mrs. June"." Bendy's eyes grew wide and he felt like he just got punched in the gut. He didn't want to leave this place without at least talking to June, but now he wished he had stayed in the kitchen.

June sighed and her features softened a bit. "It's "Aunt June" to you." She didn't think his eyes could get any bigger but he managed it somehow. His mouth kept opening and closing like a fish. It took the toon awhile to find his voice.

"Aunt… June?" She leaned to the side, placing her coffee on the end table before looking him in the eye. "Well yeah! You're my nephew after all."

Bendy got really quiet after that. He lowered his head so she couldn't see his face. His shoulders shook and June began to worry. She reached out and laid her hand on top of his head. "Bendy? Sweetheart, are you alri-" She didn't even get to finish when the toon launched himself at her. She was caught by surprise when he wrapped his arms around her neck. She could feel something wet dripping on her shoulder and she realized he was crying. She wrapped her own arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"Oh sweetheart, it's okay. It's okay" She began to rock him as he sobbed softly into her shoulder.

"I-I thought ***sniffle** * that you were mad at me." His voice came out a little muffled. "I thought you were afraid that I'd hurt the girls. I swear, I would never do something like that!" June felt guilt fill her chest. She realized her poor reaction to what happened was causing the toon's mini breakdown.

"Oh sweetheart, I am so so sorry. I wasn't angry with you. I was just… overwhelmed by everything that happened. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. Do you forgive me?" She heard a soft "mmhmm" and felt him nod against her shoulder. She hugged him a little tighter. "Thank you."

Sarah and Beth ran over to see what was wrong. They could hear his sobs dying down to soft sniffles as he calmed down. They asked their mother if he was okay.

"Everything will be fine. I really hurt your cousin's feelings and I was apologizing."

Beth was the first to catch it. "Wait, did you say "Cousin"?"

June just smiled. "Well yeah, he's apart of this family after all." The girls looked so excited and cheered.

"Oh good, because I've been wanting to call him that ever since he got here!" Sarah declared. Bendy looked at her a little surprised. "Really?"

"Well, yeah! You're with Uncle Henry, so of course that makes you our cousin." Sarah said this as a matter of fact and Beth agreed. June just shook her head. Child logic was an amazing thing. It was so simple and never bogged down by cold hard facts that adults had to face day after day. Bendy was their cousin. It didn't matter if he wasn't human. The girls accepted him anyway. June had forgotten what that was like.

"Cousin Bendy." He liked the sound of that. He wiped away a few stray tears and graced everyone with a dazzling smile. His family had just gotten bigger and he was so happy. The pit that was in his stomach was gone, replaced by a warmth blossoming in his heart. He felt like the luckiest toon in the world!

June could see Henry standing close by. He gave her a warm smile and mouthed the words "Thank you." She smiled back and gave him a slight nod. It was at that moment she realized, she would be more than happy to take Bendy in if the that need ever came up.

Time seemed to go by too quickly. It was soon time for Henry and Bendy to hit the road. The girls were sad to see him go, but they knew they would see their cousin again. Their mom would make sure of it.

Henry was throwing his bag in the back seat. June was handing him a stack of photos she took over the weekend.

"Now you can start your own family photo album."

"Thank June-Bug"

"I expect to see you back here more often! I don't even mind taking my nephew in for a week or two."

Henry smirked and gave her a mock salute. "Yes Ma'am." She laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "I'm not kidding!" she yelled between chuckles.

"I know. I promise, we'll be back."

June had a mischievous glint in her eyes and yelled out "Group Hug!" before wrapping her arms around her brother. He chuckled softly and returned the hug. The girls ran up to them. Henry picked up Beth and June had Sarah in her arms. They were holding onto one another when June felt a huge presence behind here. A pair of large, thick arms wrapped around the group. She looked up to see Bendy smiling down at them.

"Hey buster, that's cheating!" She smirked at him. "You're suppose to be in the middle of all of this, not the other way around!" The now, not-so-little-toon, just shrugged his massive shoulders and gave them all a good squeeze. This was something she needed to get used to.

Bendy returned to normal and was chatting with Beth and Sarah. Henry was giving him a few more minutes but they really had to go.

"C'mon bud. We're burnin' daylight. We have a ten hour drive and I have work the next day."

"Ten hours!? You really do drive like an old man." June laughed. "I can get you home in at least seven!" Henry just shook his head.

"No, thank you. I'd like to get home without getting a speeding ticket in every state I pass through." He felt satisfied when his sister began to sputter.

"What!? That happened one time!" Then she stopped and thought about it. "Okay, maybe two or three times…" she looked a little sheepish. Henry smirked. "Uh huh."

Bendy gave the girls one last huge and began to head for the car. June stopped him by placing her hand on his shoulder. She pulled him to the side so she could talk to him.

"Bendy, I have a favor to ask of ya."

"What is it?"

"I need you to look after Henry. I know he acts like a tough guy all the time, but even he needs someone lookin' after him too." The toon placed his hand over his heart and looked her right in the eyes. "I promise I'll always be looking out for him, Aunt June." She leaned over and gave him one last hug before walking him back to the car.

June stood back with her girls as she watched the car pull out of the driveway. They were waving at Henry and Bendy as they drove off and kept waving as they disappeared down the road. Their family just got a little bigger and a little weirder, but June didn't mind. That just made things more interesting.

Bendy watched through the rear view mirror as his new extended family waved 'goodbye'. He was so glad he came. He was starting to miss them already, but he knew he'd be back. He just knew that if Henry didn't keep his word, Aunt June was going to give him a piece of her mind. That thought alone made him chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

Bendy looked at Henry with a huge grin on his face.

"Nothing, nothing at all."


End file.
